Nancy Ella Robertson

Nancy Ella Robertson, 78, of Canton, TX, passed away on July 27th, 2024 after a long battle with dementia. Nancy was born on July 30th, 1945, to James E. and Ethel Ray McAnally in Linden, TX. Nancy was the youngest of eight siblings who all grew up on a small farm outside of town. After losing her mother at age 13 and becoming the only child at home, Nancy and her father eventually moved to Hutchins, TX, where she graduated from Wilmer-Hutchins High in 1963.

In 1961, Nancy met Tommy Robertson at church in Oak Cliff. She spent the next two years resisting Tommy’s (and her father’s) insistence they get married, but she finally relented after her high school graduation. They were married on July 1st, 1963, and remained so for nearly 60 years until Tommy’s passing in 2023.

Nancy began work after high school as a secretary in hospitals and various doctor’s offices. She even worked at Parkland Hospital that infamous day in November 1963 when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. She said the sight of seeing a distraught Jackie Kennedy in the hospital hallway in those terrible moments left a lasting impression on her.

However, Nancy’s primary job for almost 30 years was being a great mom to her three boys, Greg, Russ and Jeff. While the family spent 20+ years following Tommy’s journey through Arkansas and Texas as a Baptist minister, Nancy was solely responsible for raising the boys, running the household on a shoestring budget, and taking care of her devoted husband. It was a thankless job that probably didn’t feel like it ever paid well enough…at least until the grandkids started arriving.

In 1992, Nancy began the easy transition to “Nana” when the first two of her soon to be eight grandchildren were born. Eventually she had five grandkids in Canton and three more in DFW, all close enough to spend lots of time with her. She had plenty of experience she could apply to taking care of the grandsons but was able to live in a whole new world with four granddaughters. She spent countless days and nights filling in for busy parents, offering help with any sick ones, and making lots of chocolate chip cookies.

Nancy is survived by son Greg and wife Tracy of Argyle; son Russ and girlfriend Angie Moser of Canton; son Jeff and wife Leigh Anna of Canton; and sister Betty Penny of Canton. She also leaves behind seven grandchildren, three grandsons-in-law and two great-granddaughters. She is also Aunt Nancy to many nieces and nephews. Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, five brothers, sister Neva, and her first grandson Jordan Brice, who went to Heaven much too soon.

The family is having a celebration of Nancy’s life at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 3rd, at The Pine Ridge Schoolhouse in Ben Wheeler, TX. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to the Dementia Society of America.